Heart of the Wolf
by MonsterSlut
Summary: I am a wolf. Quietly, I will endure. Silently, I will suffer. Patiently, I will wait. For I am a warrior and I will survive. Elaelys is the bastard twin sister to Jon Snow but a true Stark at heart. She doesn't know much in the way of the world outside Winterfell, so when she finds herself pulled into a dangerous game, Elaelys realizes that she must do all that she can to survive.
1. Chapter 1

**+++ I've been sick the better part of the last three weeks and so I decided to spend my time re-watching ALL of Game of Thrones and well...this happened. I'm actually really happy with this fic and how it's being laid out and how long the chapters are. Needless to say I am taking my time in writing this baby and it will have elements of both the show and the books in it, as well as covering all seasons from one to seven which I am currently in the middle of {and sobbing needlessly because we only have ONE episode left til the end of season seven...}.**

 **Be gentle on me as this is my very first GoT/ASoIaF fic, I'm using internet sites to help me when it comes to some things because I'm not all-knowing {or all remembering} when it comes to the lore of the show. There will be no pairings between an OC and a canon character either but there will be an OCxOC pairing which I hope isn't too bad. All in all, please be gentle with me, I have no beta. If you find something that is wrong, please feel free to PM me and assist in fixing it.**

 **All rights belong to GRRM.**

 **Enjoy +++**

 **Full Summary:**

I am a wolf. Quietly, I will endure. Silently, I will suffer. Patiently, I will wait. For I am a warrior and I will survive. Elaelys is the twin sister to Jon Snow and the bastard daughter of Eddard Stark, however despite it all, she is a true Stark at heart. She doesn't know much in the way of the world outside Winterfell, so when she suddenly finds herself pulled into a dangerous game of politics and shadow plots, Elaelys realizes that she must do all that she can to survive no matter the cost.

* * *

 **One**

 _I am a wolf. Quietly, I will endure. Silently, I will suffer. Patiently, I will wait. For I am a warrior and I will survive._

When she was a child, her sleep was plagued endlessly with nightmares of unspeakable horrors, horrors that she had never seen nor heard of but still the terror would paint her dreams in a vivid shade of red. The screams of the dying would rip her out of her slumber, her own cries the only sign of the savagery that her subconscious mind had decided think of at that time. Many times, during her childhood, Elaelys Snow, bastard daughter of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, would soon find herself scared to do anything that would require her to sleep.

There wasn't much value in being a bastard. Elaelys' twin brother, Jon, born a full ten minutes before her, at least had value. He was a man, after all, and the Seven Kingdoms always had use for men, even those of the bastard variety. Elaelys was at a slight disadvantage compared to her brother; she was a girl and she was a bastard. Despite this, her father always seemed to see something inside her that she could not. With each nightmare, each time Elaelys was ripped from her sleep, too afraid of even her own shadow, Eddard Stark would carry his tired person from his bed and the arms of the ever-patient Lady of Winterfell with the intention of helping his bastard child sleep.

Elaelys loved those moments that she spent with her father. It was just him and her with nothing to come between those private moments, she'd even come to suspect that despite his tiredness, her father loved them just as much as she did. As Elaelys grew alongside her twin brother and first-born Robb Stark, more and more editions came to the family first with the arrival of Sansa, a beautiful baby girl with hair as red as the fire, and then came three more little wolves. Elaelys was only ten when she came to learn what being a bastard truly meant.

At first the words cut deep, especially when they came from a woman like Catelyn Stark. Elaelys has seen her on many occasions show nothing but kindness and compassion to her own children but when it came to her husband's bastard twins, her kindness turned into anger and rage. She would come to understand why as the years went by but it helped Elaelys come to the decision to wear her status with pride whilst simultaneously wearing it around her like an impenetrable shield.

Elaelys never thought of herself as majorly useful, she couldn't sew or wear dresses with pride like Sansa or sing if her life depended on it, she couldn't keep her mouth shut when it came to offering her own opinion and according to Septa Mordane, Elaelys was more like a lanky boy then she was a girl. Since Elaelys and Jon were so close in age to Robb, the eldest Stark boy, it was very common to see the three of them running around Winterfell covered in mud where Elaelys was commonly mistaken for a boy. Time and time again Septa Mordane had tried and was currently failing at turning her into a proper young lady. When Elaelys discovered the bow, all bets were off, and considering how good she was at using it, it was incredibly hard to get the weapon out of her hand so eventually Eddard just gave up and let her continue to learn it as long as she attended her lady's lessons as well. A little bribery never hurt anyone.

As Elaelys grew, there wasn't as much pressure on her to be a proper lady like there was with Sansa or any other girl of noble breeding. She guessed it was one of the reasons why she was able to get away with so much and despite Arya wanting to be just like her, the girl was always knocked back by her parents. Sometimes it would dig into her heart that Jon seemed to fit so well and she was always on the outside looking in…

But it seemed like the Old Gods were smiling on both her and Jon, their blessing came in the form of a rare gift that some would say rightfully belonged to only that of a Stark, but the twins simply proved them wrong. Elaeys could remember it so fondly and so well that it only seemed like yesterday that she was chosen by Laenyx and Elaeys had never had a more loyal companion.

Upon seeing the direwolf pups for the first time, Elaeys was full of mixed feelings when she saw that there was seven pups but only five Stark children, it was almost like the universe was telling her that she and Jon were true Starks no matter what. Elaeys was the first to kneel on the floor in front of the litter of direwolf pups that Robb and Jon had deposited in the centre of the floor for each of the Stark children to look at. Sansa had a look of absolute disgust on her face, like someone had waved something rotten under her nose, Ayra was positively beaming but appeared slightly afraid to make a move. So Elaeys knelt to their level and extended her hand out, waiting to see which of the pups would make their first move.

There were seven direwolf pups in total, all various colours and sizes; the pure white pup, the smallest of the litter, seemed to have developed a fondness for Jon and was currently hiding behind his legs but occasionally would peek out to see what the rest were doing. Elaeys winked at her twin before turning her attention back to the task at hand. One of the pups with its fur as black as the night and ice blue eyes eventually separated from its siblings and came over to Elaeys, it sniffed her hand gingerly before licking on of her outstretched fingers and finally nuzzling into her hand altogether.

Elaeys beamed triumphantly and picked up the pup whilst Robb made eyes at her, like he'd already claimed the blackest of the litter. Elaeys named her pup Laenyx and he went everywhere with her. Together the Starks and the twins were allowed to keep the direwolf pups but Eddard had one condition: they had to train them, feed them and if they died, they would bury them. The upkeep of the direwolf pups were entirely theirs and theirs alone. Elaeys stroked Laenyx's fur as she carried him out of the hall and up to her quarters with the intention of making him a nice pile of clothes to sleep in.

* * *

When the news reached Winterfell of the passing of Jon Arryn, Hand of the King, it also came hand-in-hand with the rumour that Robert Baratheon, the king of the Seven Kingdoms, was riding north with every intention of asking the Warden of the North to be his new Hand. Elaeys had her doubts that it would make Lady Stark happy considering what her husband had already given up in the name of Robert Baratheon but she also equally knew that like a loyal subject, her father would go to King's Landing. It was all just a matter of time really.

Unfortunately, it wasn't just the king that was coming to Winterfell; he was bringing the entire royal family with him. Elaeys had heard the rumours, even way up North she'd heard them, the queen, Cersei, was apparently a very beautiful woman but full of anger and spite and incredibly manipulating, manners which she had passed down to the heir to the throne, Prince Joffrey. According to the rumours, Joffrey was bordering upon being a psychotic little demon so Elaeys had every intention of stay far, far away from the entire family when they arrived. Which suited Lady Stark just fine. No member of the royal family or the Lannister's would have wanted a bastard in their presence let alone two but when the royal party arrived at the Keep, Elaeys and Jon had to be there as per their father's orders.

Since the news had come to Winterfell that the King and practically the entire population of King's Landing were coming up North, Eddard Stark had pulled out all the very best for his old friend, the need to impress him and his family was great no matter the cost to House Stark. The Stark children stayed well out of their father's way as he rushed about to get everything ready and perfect. When the day came for the Baratheon's to arrive at Winterfell, the Keep had never been as busy as it was today. There wasn't much that anyone could do to make the place as shiny as King's Landing but everyone from the lowliest servant to the highest noble was doing their very best to make sure everything was perfect.

Well…not everyone…Elaeys was hiding in the hay loft above the barn from the combined efforts of Lady Stark and Septa Mordane to turn her into a respectable young woman. The only dead giveaway to her position was Laenyx, the growing direwolf was incredibly noticeable and very, very loyal when it came to his mistress. Since he couldn't come up, Laenyx was laying down the bottom of the ladder, so when Jon came looking for her in a huff with Ghost following him, he knew exactly where his twin sister was. "Lady Stark is going to throw a fit when she finds you up there Elaeys," Jon told her in a matter of fact tone, one that dripped with annoyance and amusement at the same time.

Elaeys stuck her head over the edge of the loft rather timidly and smile from ear-to-ear, her pale eyes danced with mischief whilst her features read annoyed. "I'm a political prisoner Jon, I'm simply hiding from my enemies for they come in great numbers."

Jon rolled his eyes at her. "Elaeys it's just a dress and it's only for a couple of hours! You are not going to die!" He shook his head at the dramatic tone Elaeys was displaying. "Come down Elaeys and you can come hunting with me tomorrow morning." Just like their father, Jon knew that bribing Elaeys with something she wanted to do was sometimes the way to get her to do something that she didn't want to do. Jon smiled softly when Elaeys reluctantly climbed down the loft ladder and brushed the hay off the dress she was wearing. He reached out and pulled a stray bit of straw from her hair and chuckled. "The septa is looking for you, wants to braid your hair. Best be off."

Elaeys groaned and muttered under her breath as she left the stables, Laenyx following close behind her. She made her way through the servants and guards before eventually heading inside where she found Septa Mordane in Sansa's room with Arya and Catelyn, all three getting ready for the arrival of the royal family. Elaeys curtsied. "Sorry my lady, Septa Mordane." She didn't offer an excuse for where she had been but instead took her place on the chair before the old Septa took a brush to her thick, dark curls. Elaeys held in every wince and groan of pain as the old woman smoothed out every tangled knot of hair and tightly braided her hair back.

"Get changed, Elaeys!" Catelyn ordered as she held out an ice blue dress to match to Elaeys' figure. "Into that and put your cloak on, hurry up!" She shoved the dress into the girl's hands and practically brushed her aside as she moved to Sansa. "What's that look for?" Catelyn asked her daughter.

"I wanted to wear that!" Sansa pouted as she glared daggers at Elaeys as she slipped out of the clothes she was wearing. "The blue is so beautiful mother. I want to wear it." She shouted out in pain when Arya punched her in the arm. "Arya!" she snapped in anger.

"I think it looks better on Elaeys," Arya declared, winking at her sister when the dress was finally over her head. "It suits her eyes." Elaeys mouthed her thanks to Arya and pulled at the sleeves to find how snugly the dress fit.

"Your father paid for that for Elaeys," Catelyn told Sansa as she fixed a stray hair on Sansa's head. "It was a gift for her. Now all of you hurry up or we're going to be late!"

Elaeys wouldn't lie, she felt a little smug knowing that her father had paid for this just for her. Plus, it gave her a little something to gloat over when Sansa was being her typical pain in the ass self. Just yesterday Elaeys and Jon had heard rumour that the king had intended Joffrey and Sansa to marry and cement the gap between the two houses through marriage, Elaeys on one hand, did not want to lose Sansa because there were moments where the girl could be kind. On the other hand, though, she would be eager to help Sansa pack. The thought of Joffrey and Sansa marrying made Elaeys wonder what exactly was in store for her and what plans her father had in his head that involved his bastard children.

* * *

The noise was almost deafening when the king finally reached the Gates of Winterfell. A troop of men coming side by side where the first of the Baratheon bannermen to come swarming into the Keep like scurrying ants. The black Baratheon stag on a field of gold made Elaeys think back to the dead stag and direwolf where her brothers had found their companions, it almost felt like a warning of some kind but she brushed it off and kept her eyes on the incoming royal party.

Both Jon and Elaeys stood behind the line of Starks in among other members of the northern household, all of the Stark Children where there…well _almost_ all of the children. "Where is Arya?" Catelyn demanded to know when she realised that her youngest girl was off hiding or doing whatever it was that Arya did. "Sansa, where is your sister?!"

Sansa glanced around before turning her gaze back to her parents and shrugged as if to say she didn't know. Before anymore words could be spoken, Arya suddenly dashed in front of both of her parents like she was on fire and looking for her place in line. Just as she paced her parents, Eddard snatched out his hand and brought her to a stop. "Hey! Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing with that?" He took the helm off that Arya was wearing and beckoned for her to take her place in the line.

Elaeys taped Arya on the shoulder as she pushed herself in between Bran and Sansa, shaking her head to tell the girl to be on her best behaviour. Arya winked at Elaeys and turned to watch the continual stream of men coming into the Keep wearing the sigil of the royal house. They all looked the same to Elaeys as she stood in her place, watching the parade (well it was more like showing off really). When the prince came riding in on his steed, Elaeys couldn't help but snigger at the little show that Sansa was putting on (apparently, she'd also heard the rumours of a possible marriage between the two houses). She rolled her eyes and laughed a little, earning an elbow in the ribs from Jon who shook his head at her.

"What?" Elaeys whispered. "I'm on my best behaviour, Jon." She turned her focus back onto the parade as an elegant royal carriage rode through the gates followed by the king on his mount. That was King Robert? Elaeys thought as she eyed the man, he had certainly let himself go over the years and put on a lot of weight as well. When the king dismounted, practically the entire court fell to their knees and bowed in respect as he approached at an eager pace.

Eddard quickly rose to his knees followed by the rest of the Keep and he bowed his head in respect for his old friend and king of the land. He eyed the King just as much as Robert eyes him before finally speaking. "Your Grace."

Robert looked Eddard over like he was something new to study, his upper lip curling a little. "You've got fat." Elaeys almost laughed loudly at that, like he was one to talk. There was a tense moment of silence between the two men whilst the residents of Winterfell waited for their lord to make a comeback…only Eddard simply raised an eyebrow in a knowing manner before Robert started laughing and embracing his old friend.

"Cat!" Robert boomed, turning his attention to the Lady of Winterfell. He enveloped her in a hug. The two of them exchanged their pleasantries before the king started to move down the line of Stark siblings, take a moment of his time to comment on each of them, something which Sansa seemed to be ultimately thrilled about, especially when the king called her pretty. When Robert passed Elaeys and Jon, he paused for a moment and stared at the two before turning his attentions solely on Elaeys like he had seen her before and was trying to place where he's done so. The intense look he was giving her made Elaeys feel uncomfortable, so much so that she shifted on the balls of her feet and hiding a little behind Jon, wanting the attention off her as much as possible.

She let out a sigh of relief when the queen decided to make her appearance. It was true what they said, Cersei Lannister was certainly a very beautiful woman even in her older years. Although there was this deadly air about her that made Elaeys want to act with caution…all of the Lannister's had it and it was more apparent when Jaime Lannister removed his helm, his golden hair mirroring that of the queen.

None of the Stark family had more than a moment to address the queen before the king's booming voice filled the courtyard. "Take me to your crypt! I want to pay my respects!" he declared, eyes flickering over to Elaeys and back before anyone would notice. The man, of course, was talking about Lyanna Stark, the woman that had been promised to the king before Cersei ever was.

"We've been riding for a month, my love," the queen spoke, voicing her extreme dislike at the request in the politest way possible. "Surely the dead can wait." When the king brushed her words off and departed with Eddard, Cersei all but trudged back to her twin brother looking humiliated and incredibly pissed off.

She spoke few words to her twin as a younger man approached the two Lannister's, his golden hair and the lion decorating his red and gold armour painted him as a Lannister and despite Elaeys's best intentions not to notice, he was rather intimidatingly breathtaking. The young woman's eyes were firmly stuck on him and her look had not gone unnoticed, both Jon and Robb appeared to have seen her take an interest in a member of the opposite sex for the first time in her life. Her look of interest suddenly and quickly turned to one of cold disdain the moment the young lion realised that he was being watched and looked up to meet her gaze.

Elaeys quickly looked down at the ground, her cheeks turning bright red in colour as Arya prattled on about that being Jayse Lannister, the youngest son of Tywin Lannister with an age difference of almost twenty-year difference between the eldest twins and himself. According to gossip, it was only ever gossip up here in the North, Jayce was the last ditched effort that Tywin Lannister had at getting the son he so wanted. With Cersei married to the King and Jaime Lannister in the Kingsguard, where he was unable to marry or inherit Casterly Rock, and before Jayse came along, the heir to the Lannister name was Tyrion Lannister, who because of his status as a dwarf, was not a favourite of the current head of the family. All his hopes apparently rested on Jayse.

"One word from you Jon and I will slit your throat in your sleep!" Elaeys declared just moments before the welcoming party was dismissed. She glared at Jon, her cheeks still burning red before she marched off, feeling utterly embarrassed and in search of Laenyx so she could hide before the nights festivities could begin.

* * *

Elaeys kicked a stone with her booted foot and sighed as she watched the object sail across the yard, eventually coming to a stop by the wall near the archery targets. Being called a bastard usually didn't faze her but hearing the words come from Robb's lips cut deep. _The Baratheon's or the Lannister's do not want a bastard in their midst_ …translation…Catelyn did not want the twins there. The fact that she had Robb deliver the message cut deeper than most cuts would. She picked up her bow and notched an arrow before letting loose, the bolt hitting the targe dead centre. "Fuck the Baratheon's and fuck the Lannister's!" she hissed, launching another arrow to split the first in two.

"I'd say good shot but you just insulted my family." Elaeys glanced to the left to see an unfamiliar blond head of hair standing there watching her with an amused glint in his hazel eyes. Jayse Lannister stepped out of the shadows and came up beside her. "Your technique is very impressive, where did you learn how to do that?"

Elaeys shrugged. "My technique is my own but I did have a number of tutors to assist me along the way, Lord Lannister." She lowered her bow and turned to face him, the dark hiding the red crawling up her cheeks. "Please forgive my outburst…I am not in my right mind." Well she was, but she figured it was probably best to apologise anyway.

The youngest Lannister studied her and chuckled as he shook his head. "Don't worry about it, my family can be a little intense. Why aren't you at the party?" Jayse inquired curiously. "Come to think of it, neither is your brother. You should be there with your family. And please, call me Jayse, Lord Lannister is my father."

She laughed outright. "Really? Wow you aren't like the rest of the lions, are you," Elaeys stated. "I'm a bastard, Jayse," she reminded him, putting extra emphasis on his name and drawing out the S, "and the Baratheon's and the Lannister's do not want a bastard in their midst."

Jayse cocked an eyebrow. "And who said that?" he asked her. "Did anyone ask or did they just assume that no one would want the pleasure of your company, Lady Stark?" He turned his head to the side and studied Elaeys like she was a new species there to study.

"Lady Stark?" Elaeys quoted, eyes widening in a mixture of humour and horror, both looks together made quite the comical mix. "Lady Stark? By the Gods, the real Lady Stark would have a field day if she heard you call me Lady Stark." Elaeys tucked her bow over her arm and sighed. "My brother, Robb…he told me and Jon…most likely he was just delivering a message from his mother. It really doesn't bother me Jayse."

"Nonsense," Jayse smiled softly. "Return your bow to your room, Lady Stark and I would be honoured if you would have one dance with me." Seeing the look on her face, he grinned from ear to ear. "You do dance, don't you?" he asked.

Elaeys shook her head. "I am terrible at it, or so I am told. I don't attend my lessons very much." She watched him, internally wondering why she was telling him so much. It as a strange feeling but Elaeys felt rather comfortable with the youngest Lannister despite the fact there was a deep cunning in his eyes. "Forgive me, but I must decline your invitation."

It appeared that Jayse would not take no for an answer. He took the bow from around her arm and place it among the rest before putting his arm around her. "Nonsense, Lady Stark. And you, being a bastard, has no effect on me whatsoever. I may be a Lannister but father always makes sure to tell me that I have mother's baring. Her name was Arenna Greenfield, she died giving birth to me."

"I did not know that," Elaeys confessed. "I never knew my mother, only that she and father had a relationship when he was away at war against the Mad King." She bit her lip and looked at the lion, "I wouldn't want you to get into trouble with your family, Jayse."

Jayse laughed a little and practically pulled her back inside, the action itself making Elaeys wonder if he actually got a kick out of going against what was expected of his family. Maybe the rumours were wrong about the youngest Lannister, maybe he really was kind of heart, but Elaeys could only guess and make assumptions just like everyone else. "You know what…I don't particularly care," he told her when they finally got to the dining hall where the celebration was being held.

Cersei shot Jayse and Elaeys the single most withering and spiteful glare as soon as she noticed her brother with the bastard girl but her brother didn't seem to take any notice of it. The queen turned her gaze to her brother and silently demanded that Jaime do something only he shook his head and looked back at the king. "Husband-" she started to speak only for Robert to laugh. "What is so funny, my love?" she asked him.

"Let the boy have his fun," Robert told her before he shoved food in his mouth. "He's not hurting anyone. More wine!" the king declared, slamming his goblet on the table and beckoning over a servant for more drink.

Cersei glared at Jaime once more and her brother finally sauntered over to see what she wanted. "Make sure Jayse does nothing stupid otherwise father-"

"Will curse him and forgive him before patting him on the head for a job well done," Jaime cut her off. "Maybe even buy him a new horse. But if I must, I will make sure it goes no further than dancing, your majesty." He bowed respectfully and made his way over to his little brother with the intention of watching and monitoring his every move.


	2. Chapter 2

**+++ Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter and I may have figured out a loose posting schedule. If all goes well, you'll get a new chapter once every one or two weeks, at this stage considering how long I'm making my chapters, lets say one chapter every seven or eight days with each chapter being between 4000 - 6000 words long Cthulhu willing.**

 **I was actually blown away with the amount of follows and likes for this story considering things. I'd like to thank each and every one of you followers and those who favorited the story.**

 **On another note, I've been sitting here working out time periods and stuff and I was thinking that each season will be roughly six or seven chapters long :: tell me what you think?**

 **I have no beta, so all mistakes are my own.**

 **All rights belong to GRRM.**

 **Enjoy +++**

 **Two**

The following morning Elaeys was awoken by rapid knocking at her bedroom door. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes as he ears struggled to interpret the noise echoing throughout her bedchamber. It didn't take her long to realise that it was someone knocking and so reluctantly, Elaeys untangled herself out of her blankets and Laenyx before walking to the door. When she opened the door to see Jon standing there looking as fresh as a spring daisy, Elaeys instantly hated him and how much she'd had to drink last night. "Gods Jon, what do you want?" she asked him, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Jon eyed Elaeys up and down before pointing at her torso. "May I enquire as to why you are sleeping in Lord Lannister's over-tunic?" he queried, not overly impressed to see his twin sister wearing Lannister red and gold. "Y-you didn't-with a Lannister did you?" he suddenly gasped, looking a little worse for wear at the thought of her doing…that.

Her face instantly turned a rather impressive shade of red and she shook her head so fast that Elaeys wasn't sure if she'd heard a crack or not. "No!" she exclaimed. "Gods no! Jon I've never-" she stopped dead and stared at her brother. "No! We didn't do anything. Jayse and I sat up most of the night talking in full view of everyone in the dining hall before he escorted me back to my rooms after a serving maid spilled wine on me!" When Jon gave her a sceptical look, Elaeys glared at him. "Jaime Lannister pretty much followed us all the way here!" she added. "Jayse was very polite."

Jon rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him before he walked into his sister's room to sit in the window seat whilst Ghost curled up on the floor. "I need to talk to you about something," Jon told her, earning a worrying look from Elaeys. "It's serious El." He patted the seat beside him and watched as she sat down, moving her legs so that the two of them would fit. As kids they used to sit in the same spot but now they were considerably older it was hard for them both to fit but this was their spot. "I'm taking the black."

Elaeys's face fell. "Y-you're what?" she asked him, thinking that she heard him incorrectly. "Did you just say that you were taking the black?" She shook her head. "Jon, you can't!" she cried, throwing her arms around him, there was nothing like the hug of a twin to make you feel better about pretty much everything. "Jon-"

Jon put his hands on her shoulders and pushed Elaeys away far enough so that he could look at her. "Elaeys, you don't understand, I have no place here, I want to matter and in the Night's Watch I can be a part of something bigger than myself. I can be welcome there…Uncle Benjen said he's going to talk to father…but I want to do this."

Elaeys glared at him. "A part of something bigger than myself?" she repeated, quoting him. "Jon…we may be bastards but you've got it better than I ever will. At least you can take the black and fight. I'm stuck where I am! Father won't allow me to choose my own husband but no noble lord will have me because I'm a bastard! Well fuck you Jon!" she yelled, hitting him in the shoulder.

Jon grabbed her hand before she could slap him again. "El, please understand. You and I were never going to be together forever…we have to grow up. We're seventeen, practically adults. This is me making an adult choice. Maybe you could join the Faith of the Seven-"

Elaeys yanked her arm away from him and stood up in anger. "Is that all I'm good for? Becoming a septa?!" she yelled at him. She stormed over to her door and wrenched it open. "Get out Jon!" Elaeys ordered in anger, tears streaming down her face. "NOW!" she yelled at him. When Jon passed by her with a broken look on his face, Elaeys slammed the door behind him and threw herself on her bed to cry.

There she stayed until there were no more tears to shed and there came another knock on the door. She picked herself up and went to answer it, opening the door up to Catalyn and one of her maids who was holding a dress in her hands. "Lady Stark?" Elaeys questioned curiously, her face still stained red from crying. "D-did I miss something?" she asked her.

Catelyn looked at Elaeys curiously before clearing her throat. "The queen wishes to see you," she informed her before brushing in past the girl followed by the maid. "I suspect it has something to do with yesterday."

"Oh, for the love of-" Elaeys snapped, "nothing happened! First Jon and now you! Well you can relax, I'm not going to use my feminine whiles to seduce Jayse Lannister! He was just being nice to me!" Elaeys usually wasn't one to unleash on someone like this but after the conversation with Jon she was a little emotional. She crossed to her bed and slumped on the edge. "Forgive my outburst, Lady Stark."

Catelyn sat down on the bed beside her. "Elaeys, I have faith that you wouldn't do such a thing. Your father has sent Septa Mordane to make sure that you will be treated as appropriately as possible. He has asked me to also request that you make sure that you are not alone with the king."

Elaeys stared at Catelyn like she had grown a second head. "Sorry, Lady Stark…I do not understand." The girl thought back to yesterday where the king had stared at her like she was something new to be studied and paled. "I-he-I won't…I promise…I just…don't understand why."

Catelyn stood up and took the dress of the maid. "You, despite everything, look a lot like Lyanna, your aunt. It must be the Stark blood in you, Elaeys. Your father thinks that since Robert was in love with Lyanna and considering everything that happened, he may turn his affections onto you."

She cringed. "I'd rather become a Silent Sister then travel down that path…thank you, Lady Stark…and forgive my appearance. I just had a fight with Jon about his future plans. He's taking the black…" Elaeys would have sworn that the lady looked pleased about that when she said those words. She shook her head. "Don't worry about that right now. The queen wants to see me after all."

Catelyn nodded and waved the maid over to get Elaeys ready.

* * *

Queen Cersei was sitting there in the main hall feasting quietly on a private breakfast with only the guards to keep her company when Elaeys arrived accompanied by the septa. As instructed, Elaeys curtsied (rather poorly) and kept her eyes on the ground until the queen decided to speak. "Come sit with me, Elaeys," she told her, a weirdly happy smile plastered over her face.

Elaeys gulped a little and immediately took the empty seat beside the queen. "I should apologise about last night…Jayse-I mean, Lord Lannister was very persistent, your grace." She kept her eyes focused on the eggs and meat that the queen was feasting on, waiting for Cersei to say something at least.

"It mustn't be easy for you." Strange words but Elaeys looked up, trying to figure out what she was saying. "Being a bastard here in Winterfell," she spoke carelessly. And there it was. "Having your father drag you and your twin all the way here from your home to be raised with legitimate heirs. Not many prospects for you either considering. You can't marry up because you're a bastard and no man would have the desire to court such an undesirable…it appears your only choice would be the Faith…or to whore."

Elaeys stared at the queen with wide eyes. She was absolutely sure that Cersei was subtly threatening her. Having grown up with the word thrown at her practically once or twice a day, Elaeys had developed a bit of a thick skin to these kinds of things but Cersei's words were cutting deeper than any knife every would. In fact, Elaeys was sure that she would prefer the knife.

"You would do well to stay away from my brother," she warned her openly. "Many kinds of accidents can happy to pretty young girls such as yourself. I would hate to see something happen to that beautiful face, Elaeys Snow." Cersei didn't even look at her as she continued feasting on her breakfast. "You may go."

Elaeys was sure she'd never fled a room quicker in her entire life. Once Elaeys was outside in the fresh air and away from prying eyes, she collapsed on the ground, clutching her chest as she struggled to breath. Before she realised, a pair of arms steadied her shoulders and Robb's face came into view. "Elaeys are you okay?" he asked, panic all over his face seeing the state that she was in. Elaeys couldn't find the words to relay what had just happened but managed to sob incoherently into Robb's shoulder as her mind struggled through one of the first panic attacks she'd ever had.

Robb picked his sister up and carried her back into the Keep ignoring many of the stares and questions that were being thrown his way. He carried her back into her chambers and sat Elaeys down in her window seat before pouring some water. "Elaeys what happened?" he asked once she had calmed down enough. "Did the Lannister do something to you?"

Elaeys gulped down her water and looked at Robb then at the door. Getting what she was saying, Robb immediately closed it leaving Grey Wind out the front to stand guard with Laenyx. "I wish this day had never happened," she started, "Jon tells me he's taking the black if father allows it and then I get threatened by the queen…if I don't stay away from Jayse, an accident is going to happen."

Robb's eyes grew narrow. "She threatened you?" he asked her, sitting up beside her. "By the Seven…that's not right Elaeys." He patted her shoulder softly before placing a gentle kiss on her head. "So I take it you will not be attending the south when father goes?" he asked her.

Elaeys sighed. "So, Eddard Stark is to be the Hand of the King than?" she asked and he nodded. "And Sansa is going with him?" she asked.

Robb nodded. "She is. So is Ayra…I don't think it would be a good idea for you to go to King's Landing Elaeys. You'd be seemingly safer here." He hugged his little sister close and sighed. "What a right mess this is El. Father needs to know about this."

She immediately shook her head. "Don't tell him, please! I would rather you didn't…I just need to process…I'll make sure that Laenyx is with me at all times now just in case Cersei aims to keep good of her promise." She lent in against Robb and closed her eyes. "I've just had enough of today…can I stay in here all today? I don't want to deal with people right now…"

Robb nodded. "I'll cover for you, El. Promise. Lock your door okay." He stood up and poured her another goblet of water and immediately left. Laenyx trotted into the room and Elaeys locked the door behind him before taking off her dress and falling back into bed.

* * *

During the days that passed by, Elaeys hadn't spoken to either Jayse or Jon and she generally stayed out of everyone's way with only Laenyx for company whether it was just being in her bedroom or being outside the walls hunting and exploring. Cersei's words stung deep and whenever by chance she happened to end up in the same space as Jayse Lannister, Elaeys kept her mouth shut and said absolutely nothing. Robb appeared to be keeping a close eye on his sister at the same time he was helping their father get ready for the journey to King's Landing.

Now that the Lord of Winterfell had agreed to become the Hand of the King and Sansa was betrothed to Prince Joffrey the Keep was incredibly busy. And then of course there was the business with Bran. Brandon Stark was a climber and it was probably Elaeys's fault since she had been a climber as well, as a result of this, Bran had been found in the early afternoon the day after the feast unconscious but still alive like he had fallen from wherever he was climbing to. Elaeys had tried once or twice to pay her respects to her brother but Catelyn had turned her away at every turn in bitter anger. And of course Jon was still going to the Wall, Elaeys had no idea what to say to him, it hurt but she knew that her brother deserved his chance to spread his wings.

Since Jon had decided what he wanted to do with his life and was now putting those thoughts into actions, Elaeys had been contemplating what she wanted to do with her life and all of those thoughts honestly sucked. The day came along swiftly where the king was to depart from Winterfell along with nearly half the Stark Family, Elaeys was on the wall with Laenyx showing the direwolf the difference in the pelts of a boar and a bear when her father found her. Eddard Stark looked at his daughter closely and cleared his throat. "Elaeys."

Elaeys stopped what she was doing and glanced up at her father, with a sigh, she stood up and placed the pelts down on the crate that she'd been sitting on. "You're leaving soon?" she asked, her voice bland and void of emotion. "Are the girls packed and ready to go?"

Eddard sighed and walked over to sit beside her. "Elaeys, I can see that you're upset but ignoring everyone isn't going to make everything better. Jon isn't dying. You can write to him and visit every so often, if the Lord Commander will allow. Why don't you come with us to King's Landing?" he suggested. "It's not too late to do some packing."

Elaeys shook her head. "I want to stay here. The Capitol is no place for me. I'd never fit in as your bastard." She toyed with the end of her sleeve and looked at her father. "It's just…hard…I wish I knew what to do with my life, I feel so lost. I don't even belong here and my best prospects are to devote myself to the Seven or whore myself."

"Where the bloody hell did you come up with that?!" Eddard demanded to know. He looked at his daughter with horror written all over his face. "Elaeys, if you believe those two paths to be your only paths then you're stupider then I thought," he told her. "You may not carry the name Stark but you are a Stark through and through, so don't you forget that. Joining the Faith of the Seven or whoring yourself are not your only options never mind what the queen said."

Her eyes grew wide and her face paled before she looked away from him in shame. "Robb?" she asked him.

"Mordane," he replied. "I assume from that comment that Robb knew but you asked him to keep it a secret?" Eddard asked her. When she nodded, he sighed. "I thought so. Listen, Elaeys, I'm not going to be here for a long time, you have to be strong for me and keep looking until you find that place you want to be in."

"How?" Elaeys asked him. "I should just pack and leave now, save the trouble of Lady Stark having to do it for me."

Eddard sighed and put his arm around her but he didn't say anything to comfort her. "You should speak with Jon before he leaves with Benjen. You don't want to leave this as your parting words between each other. You never know what will happen."

"I'll miss you, father," Elaeys told him, resting her head against his shoulder like she did when she was a small child. "Be safe with the Lannister's."

"You too," he answered back. When he noticed the look on his face, Eddard paused. "Jayse Lannister will be staying up here with permission from the King. He wants to learn more about the North, a load of horseshit if you ask me. Just…be careful okay?" he asked her.

Elaeys nodded and kissed her father on the cheek. "I always am father." Seeing his look, she laughed, "everything else gets in my way. It's not me! Honest!"

Her father grinned at her and sat there silently with her.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Elaeys found Jon in the stables saddling one of the horses with Benjen Stark, the uncle that Elaeys had avoided since his arrival in Winterfell. She guessed it was probably because she blamed him for pulling Jon away from her. "Jon?"

Jon looked up and smiled a little when he saw her standing there pulling at her hands like she did when she was looking at avoiding a confrontation. He set the reins down and walked over to her. "You came," he noted when he stopped in front of her, "I as beginning to think that you hated me."

A long-winded sigh escaped her mouth. "I don't hate you, Jon. You're my twin brother, it feels like I'm losing a limb. Father is leaving, taking Arya and Sansa with him, you're taking the black, Jayse Lannister is staying here in Winterfell…I…I feel lost…I don't want to join the Faith of the Seven of become a whore..."

Jon's eyebrow rose nearly into his hairline. "Whore? That's a little extreme don't you think, Elaeys?" He moved closer and hugged his twin sister tightly. "We all find our place eventually, El…you will as well. Promise."

Elaeys sighed and closed her eyes as she held him tight, afraid that she'd never see him again. Finally, when the twins broke apart, she looked her uncle dead in the eyes with a serious expression on her face. "You look after him, Benjen Stark or you will be safe nowhere. I will find you, wherever you run. Understand?"

The man looked at her with an amused look. "And I believe you will, Elaeys. I give you my word, I will try my best to look after your brother when I can. Is that good enough?"

She nodded. "Acceptable, Uncle Ben." Elaeys lent against her brother and sighed. "I will miss you. Write when you can…?" she all but begged him. "I…I hope you won't hate me but I can't see you off…it hurts too much…" Jon hugged her once again, a silent nod of understanding was all that they needed. "Be safe…" she whispered before exiting the stables, struggling not to cry.

"Would the lady perhaps like to go for a stroll to take her mind off things?" Jayse spoke suddenly, making her jump. He came out of the shadows holding his hands up motioning that he meant her no harm. "Relax, Lady Stark. I mean you no harm, just going for a walk."

Elaeys eyes him wearily. "My lord…your attempts at befriending me are pointless-"

"Cersei told me what she did to you," Jayse cut her off. "And trust me, I made sure to give her a piece of my mind. I may be my mother's son but I am a lion through and through-"

"Exactly," Elaeys spoke. "You're a Lannister…the reputation that House Lannister has all through the Seven Kingdom's isn't exactly the best kind of reputation, my lord. For all I know, you plan to flirt with me, win me over and then bed me for a laugh. I won't do that. I won't be a part of some sick game your family plays."

Jayse stared at her. "I'm sure you hate being treated like a bastard and told constantly that you're no good for anyone," he told her with ice in his voice. "That's what I feel like when people constantly remind me that I am a Lannister. So what, I wear the red and gold of a Lannister Lion? So what? Does that mean that I couldn't possibly be a nice person who would like to make friends with someone who doesn't want something from me?" He was angry but keeping his feelings in check, despite it all, Jayse did have a temper worthy of a lion. "That's not really fair, Elaeys."

She cocked her head to the side and watched Jayse like he had grown an extra head. "Okay. We can go for a walk. Just know that any funny business and I will let Laenyx bite your dick off. Understand?"

Jayse shifted a little uncomfortably. "Seven hells, Elaeys, way to paint a picture on a poor man." He held his hand up as if he was about to take an oath. "I so swear, on my mother's pride that I will not do anything that you don't want me to do." He offered her his arm, "now come, I want to know as much about this land as I possibly can…it interests me."

* * *

Things grew quiet once the royal progression had departed from Winterfell, taking nearly half of the Stark family with it along with those due for the wall. For the first couple of days, Elaeys wandered around like she was missing an arm, since Septa Mordane had travelled to King's Landing with Sansa and Arya, it meant that the bastard had a little more time on her hands then she usually did. Elaeys busied herself with showing Jayse around Winterfell and its surrounds as well as hunting and other things that kept her out of Catelyn's business.

One evening, Elaeys was heading through the keep with a pile of new furs for Bran's room and wondering how he was doing when she was accosted by the cook and ended up in possession of Lady Stark's dinner as well as the furs to carry. Luckily Laenyx was with her, enabling her to drape the furs over his growing body. The direwolf was massive now, nearly the same size as a young lion which Jayse apparently found hilarious for reasons he had yet to explain to her.

Elaeys knocked on the chamber door and waited for Lady Catelyn to call her in. Instead the lady of Winterfell opened the door just a little bit and she sighed when saw the girl at the door. "I bring more furs for Bran," she explained, "and cook asked me to bring you some dinner, Lady Stark, you need to eat."

Catelyn stared at her like she'd grown an extra head and looked like she was wondering the secrets of the Seven before she stepped aside to let her in. Elaeys bowed her head and came in with the tray of food, Laeynx followed and once the tray of food had been set on the nearby table she removed the furs from his back. "You may leave now," she told her.

Elaeys squared her shoulders and looked back at the lady of the house. "Lady Stark…I can sit with Bran for a while if you want to get some fresh air?" she suggested only to get a look from Catelyn like she'd personally slapped her. "Or not…" she mumbled, thinking that she was only trying to do something kind for the woman.

Catelyn opened her mouth like she was going to say something scathing only to stop dead in her tracks, her eyes going to the window behind Elaeys. When she turned around, the girls gasped. "Fire!" she gasped right before Catelyn rushed out of the room. Elaeys would have followed but she stopped and immediately put more furs over the top of Bran before going to set aside the food for Lady Stark.

With her back turned, Laenyx started to growl and snapped aggressively, when Elaeys turned around, there was a man standing above the bed with a dagger in his hands. "You're not supposed to be here. No one is supposed to be here. It's a mercy. He's dead already."

"NO!" Elaeys screamed and she launched herself at the assassin, despite lacking any kind of hand-to-hand combat experience, this was her brother whether he liked it or not. "LAENYX GET HELP!" she yelled before connecting with the wall of a man. He threw her into the wall easily and moved towards the bed to bring the dagger down hard.

She scrambled to her feet and jumped at the man again, this time tackling his legs like she'd seen some of the other men at arms do years ago. When the two of them fell to the floor the man kicked her off him and struck her in the ribs with his foot. She rolled over with a pained groan and each time she took a breath, her chest hurt. She picked herself up again and slammed into the assassin with her shoulder right before he struck down, the knife cutting through her skin.

A scream escaped her throat as she was thrown back against the wall, this time she stayed down as Summer launched herself at the assassin and started tearing into the man. Elaeys took a deep and painful breath as Catelyn rushed back in, horror written all over her face with Laenyx faithfully by her side. She rushed over to look see if there was a hair out of place on Bran's head.

Elaeys leant against the wall with her hand over the bleeding wound in her shoulder where the assassin had stabbed her with his knife and lightly hit her head against the stone. "Laenyx, stay with Bran!" she ordered, brushing the direwolf away from her. She groaned and pulled herself up so that she was standing and leant against the wall as the room spun a little. Walking over to the body of the assassin, Elaeys kicked the dagger out of his hand in case there was a little life left inside him and almost collapsed before Catelyn suddenly appeared by her side to hold her up. "Let's get you to Maester Luwin," she urged her, a motherly tone to her voice instead of one of anger like it usually was when she spoke to Elaeys. When Elaeys looked back at Bran, she saw the two direwolves sitting by the still unconscious form of her brother and reluctantly went with her.

* * *

Elaeys had nearly been asleep in the infirmary when Maester Luwin came with a summoning from Lady Stark. She'd almost refused it but there was a weird glint in his eyes that forced the girl to get out of bed. Once all the damage was assessed and cleaned up, Elaeys was thought to have a cracked rib as well as the wound in her shoulder and various bruises so as long as she was to take it easy, everything would mend in time. Even Jayse had come to see her with a book for her to read whilst she was on the mend. This summoning had her wondering why in the Seven Hells was she being asked to get up and speak to Catelyn instead of Catelyn coming to her.

Well she got her answer when Luwin showed Elaeys into a deserted room where Catelyn was with Robb, Theon and Ser Rodrick. "Lady Stark?" Elaeys questioned, the two words saying more then she could possibly say right at this very moment. When Catelyn looked at her, she could have sworn that there was something other than contempt in her eyes.

Catelyn cleared her throat and looked at the small group she had assembled. "What I am about to tell you must remain between us." She paused and decided to continue once she was satisfied that no one was going to come barging in. "I don't think Bran fell from that tower. I think he was thrown."

Elaeys' jaw dropped. She was stunned. Someone had thrown Bran from the tower?! Maester Luwin didn't seem too convinced. "The boy was always sure-footed before."

Catelyn shifted and turned her gaze to the master, her mouth set in a determined grim line. "Someone tried to kill him twice. Why?" she demanded to know. "Why murder an innocent child? Unless he saw something he wasn't mean to see."

"Saw what, my lady?" Theon asked her.

Catelyn paused as a hundred different thoughts ran through her mind. "I don't know," she eventually confessed. "But I would stake my life the Lannister's are involved. We already have reason to suspect their loyalty to the crown."

Elaeys's heart sank a little. Not Jayse...he couldn't…could he…a small part of her mind told her that he was a Lannister despite it all. Could he be a part of this? By the Faith she hoped not…

Rodrick cleared his throat. "Did you notice the dagger that the killer used? It's too find a weapon for such a man. The blade is Valyrian steel, the handle dragonbone. Someone gave it to him."

And that made Robb furious. "They come into our home and try to murder my brother? Nearly taking the life of my sister as well…if it's a war they want." Elaeys felt a little pride in that statement but she hid it well.

Theon nodded. "If it comes to that, you know I'll stand behind you."

Maester Luwin scoffed. "What, is there going to be a battle in the Godswood? Too easily words of war become acts of war. We don't know the truth yet. Lord Stark must be told of this."

Catelyn nodded her agreement but she looked concerned about the method. "I don't trust a raven to carry these words." When Robb offered to go, she shook her head. "There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. I will go myself."

"Mother you can't!" Robb objected.

"I must." Catelyn looked dead set in her determination that she was the one to go to King's Landing.

"And what about Bran?" Robb questioned of his mother once she had refused any desire to take a squad of guardsmen with her.

"I have prayed to the Seven for more than a month," the lady replied in all honesty. "Bran's life is in their hands now. Elaeys, come with me." She nodded to her son and steered Elaeys from the chamber. "I wanted to thank you…for what you did for Bran."

"No matter what…he's still my brother," she replied honestly. Elaeys rubbed her shoulder, "I'm confused as to why you would include me in on this little meeting…unless you wanted me to do something along the lines of spying on Jayse?"

Catelyn turned to face her, the two stopping in the middle of the corridor. "Yes. I need you to keep an eye on Jayse. Make sure the young Lannister is not doing anything he shouldn't be. With my daughter's in King's Landing the Lannister's would have valuable hostages if something were to happen. But with Jayse here, we also have something valuable of our own."

Elaeys' heart sank in her chest for the second time that afternoon. She wasn't sure if she could do what Catelyn was asking of her. "Jayse trusts me…" she confessed, "we're friends…please don't ask me to do this, anything else but that, Lady Stark…" Elaeys begged. She wasn't much of a beggar at all when it came right down to it but for some reason, in her heart, this seemed so wrong.

Catelyn looked the girl over several times before placing her hand on her shoulder. "I need you to do this for the family, Elaeys. Find out what he knows. Think of Bran." She let go and made her way down the corridor leaving the girl standing there stunned.


	3. Chapter 3

**+++ Thank you to all my latest followers and favorites, it gives me a little thrill of hope every time I see the emails come through and makes me happier still when I see them reviews {do not feel obligated to review unless you want to}. This chapter was actually pretty hard to knock up, I've been re-reading ASoIAF as well as watching GoT and there isn't much in the way of covering what happens up North whilst Robb waits at Winterfell for his mum to come back, so I'm literally just winging it at the moment.**

 **On a side note, who watched the final of season seven? I was a little disappointed at the D+J scene...which I am not gonna do in this. Sorry if you ship that but I do not...I totally ship Tormund and Brienne though...anyway, totally babbling right now.**

 **I do not have a beta so all mistakes are my own.**

 **As usual, all rights belong to GRRM.**

 **Enjoy +++**

 **Three**

"Jayse…can I ask you something?"

Jayse looked up from his seat on a sawn-off tree trunk where he was with a sketch book propped up on his knees, a serious look on his face. The look fell when he realised that the intruder on his time was indeed a lady with whom he was happy to spend some time with; Elaeys. "Elaeys!" he smiled before moving over so that she could take a seat beside him. "To what to I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Jayse questioned, taking not of the serious look on her face. "I haven't seen you in four days. It would appear that you are no longer on bed rest. Are you okay?"

Elaeys sighed and fiddled with the sleeve of the dress she was reluctantly wearing and then pulled her cloak over her like a protective shield. "My ribs hurt sometimes when I breath, the master says that I am a nice blanket of bruises but they are fading away. I've just got to take it easy for a couple of weeks and I'll be fine." She glanced sideways at him and the picture of the lands he was drawing. "My question still stands Jayse, can I ask you something?"

Jayse close his book and put the charcoal he was drawing with back inside the little pouch where it lived. "Ask away Elaeys…I have nothing to hide from you."

She sighed and took a deep breath. What Catelyn had asked of her four days ago before she left was playing on Elaeys' mind, she hadn't really been able to sleep because of it. Catelyn was asking her to betray a friend and whilst she had thought that she was able to play the game that they were so easily playing, it was obviously that Elaeys was not as strong a player as one would think. "Lady Stark…has come to the conclusion that Bran's accident was not an accident and that someone intended to kill him…the attack on him where I ended up like this…"

Jayse farrowed his brow and frowned as he took all this information in that Elaeys was presenting him. "So you're saying that someone pushed your brother from the tower and then tried to kill him?" he asked, wondering if he was getting that right.

Elaeys nodded. "Yes. That about sums it up…" She shifted and looked away, finding a point in the distance and started to really stare at it as the next words came out of her mouth. "Lady Stark asked me to spy on you because she thinks the Lannister's had something to do with this. She wants me to find out what you know and report back to her…it's part of the reason that I've been avoiding you because I didn't want to do it. I concluded that the best thing to do was to tell you."

Jayse was stunned. As soon as the words came out of her mouth it was like she'd slapped him in the face then kicked him why he was down. Yes he understood that as a Lannister he was always going to have people who hate him, but for someone to automatically assume that he had something to do with an assassination attempt on a child was very hurtful. Jayse knew that he could be ruthless when the situation called for it but this was downright vindictive and painful to hear. He didn't know what to say as his mind processed the information.

"You're my friend Jayse…you had the right to know," Elaeys spoke after several minutes of silence.

Those words struck deep. His whole life Jayse had listened to people throw about empty promises; his family did it, his mother did it, the people that wanted something from him always did it…but there was something to how Elaeys said it that made him believe her. He jumped a little when Elaeys reached over and gently clasped his hand to squeeze it. "I trust you…" he spoke, lifting his head to look at her. "Elaeys…please trust me when I say I had nothing to do with it. I'm not like my father or my siblings…I'm trying my hardest not to be. I would never have something to do with an action like that. I would never. I swear."

"And I believe you," Elaeys added before quickly letting go of his hand. "I just wish that the rest of the family would believe me when I said you had nothing to do with it. It just felt nice to be including in something you know…right up until I found out that Lady Stark wanted to use me to spy on you…" she sighed and looked back at the foggy mountain view. "I just wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I'm seventeen, by all rights I should be married by now but…that's not in the cards for me. I never even wanted it to be."

Jayse reached over and took her hand so that he could give it a gentle squeeze. "You'll find out what you want to do in time, Elaeys…and thank you for trusting me…it really means a lot to hear that coming from you." He took mental note of how warm her hand was and sighed happily, filing the feeling away for later.

The pair of them sat there for what seemed like an age before Laenyx came to attention and growled, issuing enough warning that they were no longer alone. Elaeys sat up and pulled her hand away from Jayse as the familiar figure of Theon came into view, a scowl on his face. "Great," Elaeys huffed before she stood up leaving Jayse seated. "What do you want Theon?" she asked in a dismissive tone, annoyed that Theon was interrupting their quiet time.

"Robb sent me to get you," Theon replied, a dangerous undertone to his voice as he stared accusingly at Jayce like he was a bug underneath his feet. "He requests your presence immediately."

"He requests my presence immediately…" she huffed. Elaeys whistled to Laenyx and the direwolf got to his feet before trotting after his mistress. She looked back at Jayse before making her way after Theon. "In case you're wondering Theon, I told Jayse everything."

Theo glared at her back as they walked. "Are you a bloody idiot!" he snapped when he came up beside her. "You were asked to do one thing and you fucked that up! You're fucking useless!" Angered by the fact that she was ignoring him, Theon followed her into the keep before slamming her up against the wall. "Don't ignore me Elaeys."

Elaeys growled at him and looked down at the hand Theon had on her shoulder. "You want to remove that Theon? Or Laenyx here is going to rip your dick off." The direwolf growled at Theon and took a step toward him. "And I won't feel sorry about it." In the past, Elaeys had enjoyed kissing Theon and being close to him in a kind of naïve teenage manner when she was first discovering her body and who she was but when Theon discovered prostitutes. Elaeys made sure he knew that she wanted nothing to do with him. "I'm giving you a warning here, Theon, and a second chance along with that first warning I issued you when I was fifteen. If you ever touch me again without my permission, I will be delivering your corpse back to your father without a dick."

Theon glared at her and stepped back without a word. Shaking his head, Theon stormed off giving the girl and her wolf no other choice but to follow him to where Robb was in their father's office, acting as the Warden of the North. "Found her," Theon told him when he was let into the room. "She told Jayse."

Elaeys closed the door as Robb got to his feet. "You told him?! Elaeys how could you be so stupid!" Well Robb had imitating their father down to a fine art, didn't he?

She laughed. "At least that was better than what Theon asked. There were a few choice words and touching when I didn't want to be touched."

"You were the one sitting there holding his hand!" Theon snapped. "Look at you acting all enraptured Elaeys," he teased earning a death glare from the girl in question.

Robb pinched his noise. "Elaeys…why did you tell him?"

"I made a judgement call Robb," she answered truthfully. "You know Jayse was right. Just because you see Lannister does not make him evil. Jayse has been nothing but kind to me this entire time he's been here. More so then anyone else ever has. The call was mine to make and as far as I'm concerned, I made the right one. Whatever game you want to play, I'm not buying into it."

Robb sighed as he looked her over. "Elaeys…this is serious. You could have died for the sake of a silly crush. Now suppose he goes back and reports to his family on what we said? We can be accused and tried for treason…my mother is in King's Landing now, suppose they find out and then find her. She could be dead."

Elaeys glared at him. "Exactly. She's your mother Robb. And as everyone does a great job of reminding me, I have no mother." She looked Robb right in the eyes and walked from the office in serious need to be alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Jayse took a deep breath and raised his hand before knocking on the office door where he hoped that Robb Stark would be at this hour. Hearing a muffled voice from within telling him to enter, Jayse let himself in and closed the door behind him. "May we have a word, Lord Stark? My visit here has a dual purpose, one of which I hope you can assist me with."

Robb appeared to have been feeding some chunks of meat to Grey Wind, he sat up, surprised to see the Lannister standing in the doorway of his father's office. "Lord Lannister, it's a bit late don't you think?" he asked him.

Sitting himself down in a chair without being asked, Jayse sat his hands in his lap. "I understand you think I've had something to do with your brother's current condition and the subsequent attack on both him and Elaeys." The look on Robb's face was all that Jayse needed in the way of an answer. "I know you won't believe me in any way shape or form without proof and I do not have any to give you but I had hoped that my word would be enough."

Robb paused as he considered his words carefully. "I would like to believe you Jayse. It's hard not to think that you've just been sent here to spy on us and report back to your family."

"Have you once seen me send a raven or anyone that I associate with sending a raven?" Jayse asked him, silently begging him to consider logic and reason. "If I was in your place I'd be having me watched which I am correctly assuming is exactly what you're doing." Jayse shifted in his seat and sat back in an informal manner. "I vow to you that I had nothing to do with what happened to Bran. Honestly, I hate the political games that my siblings enjoy playing. Which is why I stay as far away from King's Landing as possible. I usually spend my time in Casterly Rock or out in the training houses with my men. Ask anyone, father hates that I have no desire to play the games that all noble houses play…I see what it costs everyone."

"That is a convincing argument but it's not me you have to convince," Robb answered calmly. "If you claim that you're not a part of this…you say you can't offer proof…what can you offer up that would even help in this? If my mother returns home with proof of your family having involvement, what would you do?"

"I will accept the consequences," Jayse replied. "My honour is my word and my honour means everything to me. A Lannister always pays his debts." Even if they cost him his life.

Robb studied the other man in the room and sighed when he sat back. "I don't know what you're expecting out of this Lord Lannister."

"Jayse, please," he corrected him. "I've come here because I want to ask your permission to send a raven to your father."

"You want to ask my permission to send a raven to my father?" Robb asked him, the confusion showing in his voice. "Why?"

"There are some things I want to ask of your father and as lord of this house, I would ask him and only him," Jayse told him stubbornly.

Robb studied the man closely and sighed. "This involves Elaeys, doesn't it?" he asked him. When Jayse nodded, he started to laugh unexpectedly.

"Did I say something that you find funny?" he scowled, getting a little annoyed at being laughed at like he was the subject of some joke he didn't know he was involved in.

"You are talking about Elaeys?" he questioned. "The one that your sister threatened to kill if she got involved with you? The same Elaeys who likes to hunt and track and has raised a beast-like direwolf to do exactly that?"

Jayse glared at him. "She's your sister and you claim to love her but you are putting her down like this? I don't understand how you can call yourself her brother and be so cruel like that!"

"I'm worried for her!" Robb argued back. "Your affections could kill her! You didn't see what she was like when Cersei finished telling her exactly what she was going to do to her! I've never seen her cry like that before…how exactly will your affections be doing my sister any good?" he demanded to know.

Jayse rubbed his head and sighed. "I like her. She's kind and caring, and despite what she tries to put up, Elaeys is sweet. Sure, she's rough around the edges but most Northern girls are and frankly I like it."

"Are you not betrothed?" Robb questioned. "If you're betrothed then how exactly do you intend to spend your time with my sister?" he demanded to know.

"I was right up until she threw herself off a bridge," he replied. Jayse tapped his finger to his head, "my cousin wasn't very…right in the head, gods rest her soul. But according to father she was pretty enough and pliable, listened to what she was told…he neglected to mention the fact that she wasn't right in the head until she killed herself." Jayse shifted in his seat. "I want to send that raven, Lord Stark and the only threat I have to gain permission is I'll just tell Elaeys you said no."

"Very well…you may send the raven to my father but only if myself or Luwin can read the letter first," Robb answered. "And you have until tomorrow to do so."

Jayse got to his feet and bowed his head respectfully. "May I be frank, Lord Stark?" he mused, making his way to the door. "It is true that both my family is up to something and if it may be the case…I may only have thirty men but you may count on me and mine for our full support." He bowed his head respectfully and made his way from the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

As he watched her move through the trees with all the grace of a predator, Jayse cocked his head to the side at the same time Elaeys notched an arrow into her bow and let the bolt fly straight into the flank of a deer. She grinned and grabbed a bag off the floor and whistled to Laenyx to follow the deer as it took off. "He'll follow the blood trail," she told him, "cook will love to have the deer tomorrow for dinner."

Jayse nodded. "I love how you've come out here with me so I can do more drawing and then I end up coming out hunting with you…how did you get so good at it?" he inquired.

Elaeys twirled her bow in her hands. "Well…I guess I got good at it because I kept running away from my lessons, the ones that Sansa loves and Arya loathes. Eventually father and I came to a compromise. One half of the week I get to go out and learn tracking and hunting whilst the other half of the week I must attend my lessons. I caved but at least I learned how to hunt and track…usually I bring in the best animals…apparently I have natural talent…it's easier though with Laenyx," Elaeys confessed. "And what about you? Tell me all about Jayse Lannister."

Jayse shrugged as the pair of them walked through the forest. "Well my mother was Arenna Greenfield, she belonged to a minor house…my father married her in the effort to have another child and she died giving birth to me…but not that he cared. He's Tywin Lannister…why would he care?" He sighed and pulled the cloak around him for a little more warmth. "Fool on him for letting me be raised by the Septa's…I think it turned me into a halfway decent man if I do say so myself."

Elaeys laughed. "You are a decent man Jayse, which is more than can be said about anyone else I know…I mean aside from my father and all…he could have left both Jon and I to die but instead we were brought back here despite knowing the shame it could bring upon him." She perked up when she heard Laenyx howl, letting her know that he had the deer.

"So you don't think that Robb is a decent man?" Jayse questioned. "Or your brother?"

"If Robb were a decent man, he wouldn't have gone along with his mother's request that I spy on you," she answered, coming out into a clearing where the beast had fallen. Elaeys drew a dagger and trudged over to slit the creature's throat. "And Jon's my brother, of course he will always be a decent man."

Jayse shook his head. "I don't agree with that. Robb is just doing what he thinks is best. His intentions were good, Elaeys, even I know that." He watched her and cringed a little at the sight of her slitting the deer's throat. True, Jayse was trained in combat but he'd never actually taken a life, a fact that he was kind of proud of despite Jaime's constant ribbing. "You Northerners really do live in a whole different world…don't you?" he asked.

Elaeys raised an eyebrow and rolled up her sleeves as she moved the creature away from the pooling blood and over to Laenyx who allowed her to tie it onto his back. "Perhaps I should go to King's Landing one day and see how you live," she joked. "But I have a feeling I'd be eaten alive up there."

"No kidding," Jayse grinned. "Shall we hunt some more or would you prefer to return to the Keep?" he queried.

"The Keep." Elaeys pulled the arrow out of the deer, cleaning it in with some water before putting it back in her quiver once deeming it good enough to keep. "Leanyx is still growing so I don't want him dragging around all that weight…then he's getting a bath. That's the fun part. You can help Jayse."

Jayse would have argued but he felt as though he'd get nowhere by doing just that. Instead the two of them played a game of questions and answers to which one person would ask a question and the other would answer followed by a question of their own. The pair had almost reached the gates when a frazzled looking guard came up to them and bowed. "Lord Lannister, your brother, Lord Tyrion, is here and asking for you. He's returned from the Wall."

Jayse sighed. "Guess you and I will continue this discussion at a later date."

"Yes, we will," Elaeys nodded. "I will skin and clean this creature and take it to the kitchens. I swear tomorrow we can spend the day doing what you so desire to do." She bowed and pretended to curtsy earning a laugh from Jayse when he slipped away. Elaeys made her way down to the butchers in the Keep and after a few words, the large man agreed to assist her as long as he could take some of the meat for his own family.

Only when that task was done did Elaeys grab her wash bag from its place in the stables that had a spare change of none bloodied clothes in it before making her way to a river just outside the Keep. The maids would have a fit if she'd taken her bloodied self plus direwolf into the castle so she was stuck with the freezing cold river to bath in.

She didn't muck about when it came to this, Elaeys stripped herself and immediately plunged into the river with a scream, her body getting a slight shock from the cold. Laenyx on the otherhand looked at her like she was crazy and sat on the edge of the riverbank refusing to get in…yeah this is where she needed a helping hand.

* * *

No sooner had he arrived did Tyrion Lannister decide it was time to leave and this time both Jayse and Elaeys made plans to go with him until they reached the edge of the Winterfell and then Jayse would make his choice whether or not he was going to continue going south or if he would return back to Winterfell with Elaeys. Hearing that he could possibly be looking at returning home actually stung…more so then it had when Jon left which was strange…harder still was the fact that Elaeys had no one to talk to about it.

Feelings were incredibly messing things to contend with. And Jayse was a Lannister, whatever feelings she harboured for him couldn't even be acted upon considering her bastard status. When in the seven hells did things get so complicated?

"What could you possibly be thinking about that has your brow so furrowed, bastard?" Tyrion questioned, watching Elaeys as they made their way towards the Crossroads; this was the furthest from Winterfell that she'd ever been.

Elaeys raised an eyebrow and stared at Tyrion; she'd gotten used to him calling her bastard instead of her actual name. For some reason, it didn't exactly sound like an insult when it was coming from him, more like a compliment. "Oh me? I'm contemplating the weather."

"And I'm thinking of taking a vow of celibacy," the dwarf sneered followed by a heart felled laugh. "All the whores in the Seven Kingdom's would weep at the loss." Elaeys laughed at him and Tyrion turned his attention to Jayse who was riding his mount beside Laenyx. "It would appear that my brother is smitten with you, bastard, and you with him. I would advise against it."

"You and everyone else," Elaeys mumbled before nudging her horse further up the road when the inn came into view. Laenyx rushed off after her and fell into a steady rhythm beside Elaeys.

Jayse looked at Tyrion and shook his head. "Tyrion, don't okay? I don't need you to stick your noise in my business as much as I need father or Cersei to."

"Not Jaime?" the dwarf asked.

"Jaime does whatever Cersei does," he answered. "My feelings for Elaeys are my own and I won't be a part of these sick games you play."

"Your seventeen," Tyrion reminded him. "What feelings could you possibly have? Besides, nobility do not get to play games of the heart. Only the common folk do. People like Elaeys-" Jayse promptly punched his brother in the face, nearly knocking him from his saddle before nudging his mount ahead.

"You probably shouldn't have punched him in the face," Elaeys warned him when the two of them stopped outside of the inn whilst Tyrion and some others went inside. She grabbed a bucket and half-filled it with water to give to the horses. "He is your brother."

"He's also a bastard," Jayse scowled.

"No that's me," Elaeys laughed.

"I wish you wouldn't say things like that about yourself." Jayse brought his mount over to drink from the bucket, "just because other's think it so doesn't mean that you have to. Okay?"

Elaeys snorted. "Excuse me? I've always been called a bastard, it's a natural state of being Jayse. What else can I be since I can't ever see father making Jon and I proper heirs?" She patted the horse and smiled. "Now come on, I want some food and my ass needs a soft bed to sleep on for the night." The young lord put his hand over hers when she went to put the bucket back. "Jayse what are you-"

Jasye cut her off when he claimed her lips. He half expected her to slap him or maybe even knee him in the groin but instead Elaeys fit nice and neatly in his arms like she was supposed to be there. He put his arms around her and pulled the young wolf close at the same time as he walked backwards until they hit the wall.

Elaeys grunted and pulled away from him, her pale cheeks tinged a perfect shade of red that made Jayse smile. "What was that for?" She had been kissed in the past, many times and mostly just by Theon but this was different…it felt different.

Jayse groaned internally at the sound of arguing coming from inside and sighed knowing that his brother was most likely the source of said arguing. "Elaeys…I want to do that again…you and I should sit down and talk but in the meantime…I think my brother has gotten himself into some trouble."

Elaeys bit her lip and nodded in agreement. "Yes. We do need to sit down and talk, but after we sort Tyrion out." She whistled to Laenyx and together with Jayse, the three of them walked into the inn just in time to see several of the inns inhabitants arresting Tyrion. Elaeys scanned the room and her sight fell upon Catelyn and Ser Rodrick. "Oh Jasye…bad idea-"

"Elaeys!" Too late, they'd been seen.

Elaeys stepped in front of Jayse but he gripped her hand to stop her. "If my brother indeed had a hand in trying to take the life of Bran Stark than he deserves everything he gets, but don't you dare look at me and put me in the same boat, Lady Stark."

Why did everything have to be so damn complicated?


End file.
